title: Perioperative complications and clinical outcomes of intraocular lens exchange in patients with opacified lenses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the perioperative complications and the outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) exchange in patients with opacified lenses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective multicentrical consecutive series of cases that comprised 22 eyes from 21 patients who had previous phacoemulsification with implantation of an IOL in the capsular bag and developed severe late opacification of the IOL. All patients had loss of vision and reported light disturbances. The IOLs were explanted and replaced with new IOLs. The perioperative complications were evaluated. The best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) before and after the surgery was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time lapsed between the original cataract surgery and the IOL exchange surgery was 89.1 ± 33.6 [48-216] months. The IOL exchange was uneventful in 14 eyes (63.6 %). Anterior vitrectomy was needed in seven cases (31.8 %). Other complications included zonular dehiscence in one case (4.5 %). In most of the cases, 14 eyes (63.6 %), the IOL was implanted in the sulcus. The most explanted IOL was the Hydroview H60M (Bausch & Lomb). The mean BSCVA (LogMAR) before and after the surgery were 0.57 ± 0.69 (0.10-3) and 0.18 ± 0.22 (0.0-1.10) respectively (t paired test, p < 0.001). After the operation, 20 eyes (90.9 %) achieved a BSCVA ≤ 0.3. No eye lost 1 or more lines of corrected vision after the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IOL exchange surgery, although associated with a high incidence of complications, restores and significantly improves the visual acuity of patients with opacified IOLs.
authors.affiliation: Vissum Corporation, Avda de Denia s/n, Edificio Vissum, 03016, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández-Buenaga
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alió
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinilla-Cortés
authors.forename: Rafael I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Barraquer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy